8 comments:

^well thats just not true. galen had the same coach and he wasn't ineligible for anything. alberto was just as 'pro' in 02-04 as he is today. cain is an amateur as long as she isn't getting paid to run

Different state rules, though it had nothing about having a "pro" coach. The NCAA ruled that her parents must pay AlSal a competitive college coach's salary as a private coach to retain NCAA eligibility.

It is true that she's not running for her high school as her state deems anyone with a private coach ineligible.

On a side note: Rupp was essentially running as a pro as AlSal's pet project poaching top local talent. The fact he never trained with his HS or college doesn't sit well with me. But he got Silver, which justifies the means. The cloud of doping that follows Salazar also doesn't sit well with me either. But some are willing to do anything to win. Just hope this isn't another Athletics West or Lance Armstrong cover up.

Instead of bagging the coach why not seek to find out what the coach is doing that is different and look to apply to your own program? It is the apathy of running coaches, mostly at the High School level, that has contributed significantly to the mediocre status of distance running in the USA. If a significant number of HS coaches would look every year to see what improvements they can bring into their program, through their sacrificing their own agenda to one that seeks to provide the very best for those they coach, maybe, just maybe we would find out what type of real talent is in the CA HS system. I would be willing to put good money on a bet that if this became the norm, CA HS coaches would find that they have only tapped about 25% of the State's running talent in every High School.

Bottom line, if you plan for the athlete's future (College and beyond) it will take care of your future as a coach.

Here is Alberto's coaching strategy: take the most talented high school runner in the nation. Pour tons of money into their "development." Put on thyroid medication to act as a masking agent for PED's. Repeat.

Bashing or not Alberto reminds me a lot of Lance Armstrong.

Alberto is not doing anything special. He takes a talented athlete and puts them on a 12 year plan, pours tons of money into them and has no regard for rules. How many dual meets did Rupp run?

Hard to follow their plan when you are against winning at all costs (PEDs), get them for 4 years at most and don't have millions of dollars at your disposal.